Strong safety performance doesn’t come from one program, one metric, or one person. It takes consistent practices, experienced people, continued learning, and a commitment to improving how we plan and perform our work.

Crossland Construction recently earned Diamond level in Associated Builders and Contractors’ 2026 STEP® Health and Safety Management System, the program’s highest level of recognition. Crossland also holds a 0.36 Experience Modification Rate (EMR), while six members of our Safety team recently earned seven professional certifications spanning construction safety, safety leadership, transportation compliance, and fire protection.

Together, these accomplishments show what a strong safety program takes: solid systems, measurable performance, and people with the expertise to put both into action.

Crossland Earns ABC STEP Diamond Recognition

Associated Builders and Contractors’ STEP Health and Safety Management System helps contractors evaluate, benchmark, and continually improve their safety programs.

Diamond is the highest level a company can achieve within STEP. For 2026, Diamond recipients must meet all Platinum-level requirements and maintain an incident rate at least 50% below the national Bureau of Labor Statistics average for their NAICS classification for the current submission year and each of the previous two years. Crossland Construction Co., Inc. is listed among the ABC Heart of America Chapter’s 2026 Diamond recipients. Step

The recognition looks beyond a single safety statistic. STEP evaluates the programs, processes, leadership involvement, training, planning, and performance that contribute to a strong company-wide safety culture.

The results behind the program are significant. ABC’s 2026 Health and Safety Performance Report found that its top-performing STEP participants reduced total recordable incident rates by 85% compared with the U.S. construction industry average. ABC

For Crossland, reaching Diamond level recognizes the work our teams put in every day to make safety part of how we plan, communicate, make decisions, and perform the work.

A 0.36 EMR: Performance Behind the Program

Crossland’s current Experience Modification Rate, or EMR, is 0.36 — a strong indicator of our historical loss experience and overall safety performance.

EMR is a simple way to compare a company’s workers’ compensation history to others in the industry. A score of 1.0 is considered average, while a lower score points to better-than-expected performance.

Crossland’s 0.36 EMR is well below that benchmark.

That performance is especially meaningful given the size of our workforce, the volume of construction we do, and the amount of work our teams self-perform.

EMR is just one piece of the safety picture. Combined with our STEP Diamond recognition, field practices, training, and continued investment in our people, it helps show the results of our ongoing commitment to safety.

Growing the Expertise Behind our Safety Program

Strong systems and performance still depend on knowledgeable people to carry them forward.

Six members of Crossland’s Safety team recently earned seven professional certifications, continuing to build expertise that directly supports our teams and projects.

Andrew Teel | Certified Safety Professional (CSP)

Andrew earned the Certified Safety Professional® certification through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.

CSP candidates are experienced safety professionals whose responsibilities can include safety management systems, risk assessment, hazard identification and controls, incident investigation, emergency planning, and safety leadership. Candidates must meet education and professional experience requirements and successfully complete the CSP examination.

The credential strengthens the leadership and technical expertise available to Crossland teams as they evaluate risk and plan work across a wide range of construction environments.

Dawn Gilliland | Certified Transportation Regulatory Expert (CTRE)

Dawn earned the Certified Transportation Regulatory Expert certification, expanding Crossland’s expertise in fleet safety and federal transportation compliance.

The CTRE program focuses on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requirements, fleet operations, commercial driver oversight, regulatory compliance, audits, and risk reduction.

With Crossland teams, equipment, and vehicles traveling across a large geographic footprint, that expertise helps support safe and compliant transportation operations throughout the company.

Dalton Robertson | Associate Safety Professional (ASP)

Dalton earned the Associate Safety Professional® certification through BCSP.

The ASP demonstrates knowledge of fundamental safety concepts and methodologies, including safety analysis, hazard identification, and implementation of risk-reduction measures. Candidates must meet education and professional safety experience requirements and successfully complete the certification examination.

The ASP also serves as a qualifying credential toward the Certified Safety Professional designation.

Andrew Temple | Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST)

Andrew earned the Construction Health and Safety Technician® certification through BCSP.

The CHST is specifically focused on construction safety. Candidates must have at least three years of construction safety experience in roles requiring technical safety, health, and environmental knowledge and must pass the CHST examination.

Sheldon Eisle | Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST)

Sheldon also earned the CHST certification, demonstrating experience and technical knowledge in construction safety and strengthening the support available to Crossland teams in the field.

Brady Cox | CHST + Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS)

Brady earned two professional certifications: the Construction Health and Safety Technician and Certified Fire Protection Specialist.

In addition to the construction safety expertise represented by the CHST, the CFPS demonstrates specialized knowledge in fire protection and prevention. NFPA’s program combines professional experience and education with a certification examination and covers areas including fire protection systems, emergency preparedness, hazard mitigation, life safety, and fire protection management.

Why Continued Safety Education Matters

These certifications take time, experience, and a lot of work to earn. They also help our Safety team stay sharp as regulations, technology, and the way we build continue to change.

For our teams, that expertise means stronger support in the field.

It helps our Safety team identify risks earlier, provide clearer guidance, strengthen training, evaluate work plans, navigate regulations, investigate incidents, and help project teams find practical solutions when conditions change.

It also gives our superintendents, project managers, craft professionals, equipment operators, and other field leaders access to people with specialized knowledge in areas ranging from construction safety and risk management to transportation compliance and fire protection.

What It Means for Our Clients

For our clients, STEP Diamond recognition, a strong EMR, and professional safety certifications provide added confidence in the people, systems, and practices supporting their projects.

Strong jobsite safety begins long before work starts in the field. It influences preconstruction planning, logistics, sequencing, subcontractor coordination, equipment operations, emergency planning, and the way teams respond when conditions change.

STEP Diamond recognizes the strength of our safety program. Our 0.36 EMR shows how those efforts are performing, and our team’s professional certifications continue to strengthen the expertise supporting our projects.

Together, they help our teams identify potential issues earlier, make better-informed decisions, and maintain more consistent safety expectations across our work.

The result is bigger than an award, a number, or a certification.

It’s stronger planning. Better resources for our teams. More consistent safety practices across our projects. Reduced risk. And a continued commitment to sending people home safely at the end of every day.

Congratulations to Andrew Teel, Dawn Gilliland, Dalton Robertson, Andrew Temple, Sheldon Eisle, and Brady Cox on these well-earned accomplishments and their continued investment in the expertise that supports our people, projects, and clients.